1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to golfing accessories and, more specifically, to a visual indicator device which mounts onto a golf club to aid the golfer in determining and developing a consistent backswing.
The canister-like housing has a rotatable drum dial member having a scale of degrees of arc marked on the exterior periphery to permit the user to pre-select the desired rotation of angle of the golf club shaft in relationship to the ground. This allows the golfer to pre-select the desired rotation of the club head while the shaft is parallel to the ground. When the golfer completes his backswing they can look over their shoulder to see if the appropriate LED""s are lit and if not, adjust their swing accordingly. Through repetitious practice they will learn when the golf club has reached the desired rotation of the club head while parallel to the ground.
The canister-like housing member has an array of LED""s on the proximal canister-like housing end and the rotatable drum dial member on the distal housing end. The rotatable drum dial member is comprised of a number of fixedly connected elements which function in concert having the LED""s on the proximal end providing the visual indication of the performance of the golfer.
The rotatable drum dial member is fixedly connected to two platforms of mercury switches retained between two discs forming a spool-like support element for the first mercury switch holder and the second mercury switch holder. Also, fixedly connected to the rotatable drum dial member is a rotational limiting element and a spur gear element which communicates with a pawl-like member extending from the spool retaining member to maintain the positioning of the rotatable drum dial member and its elements. The first switch holder is comprised of two sets of four switches. The first set is connected in series radiating on an equal slope from the holder center equidistant from each other. The first switch set is connected to a single LED. The second set are individually connected to a mating LED and radiate on an equal slope from the holder center equidistant from each other and interdisposed between the switches of the first set.
The second switch holder is comprised of four switches that are individually connected to a mating LED and radiate on an equal slope from the holder center equidistant from each other. Two switches being parallel to the club shaft and two switches being perpendicular to the club shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other golf club devices designed for improving the swing of a golfer. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,117 issued to Harrison on Sep. 11, 1973.
Another patent was issued to Richards on Apr. 26, 1983 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,111. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,374 was issued to Ban on Jul. 2, 1985 and still yet another was issued on Jan. 27, 1998 to Richards as U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,717. Another patent was issued to Thomas on Feb. 2, 1999 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,685.
The inertia attachment includes an arm on which is a weight adjustable longitudinally of the arm and a clamp adapted to attach the arm to the shaft of a golf club which requires follow-through when swung; the weight has tail fins and is shaped to be directional in the direction into which the shaft is swung and is registerable with the head of the golf club or the like; the arm is pivoted on the clamp so as to be adjustable from an out of the way position parallel with the shaft toward and above the club head. In one embodiment, the weight may include a rotatable propeller mounted in a recess between the tail fins. In another embodiment, the weight is shiftable along a shaft and compresses a spring as the weight moves rearwardly. The weight includes a passage through which the arm extends, and the weight may be secured in various positions along the length of the arm by the provision of a spring clip located in the passage. The spring clip is adapted to selectively engage grooves provided along the length of the arm.
A golf swing simulator comprises a handle pivotally connected about an axis to an arm, which in turn is pivotally connected about an axis to a mounting. The mounting includes two parts which are adjustable to vary the angle of the axis to the horizontal. The connection between the handle and the arm is via a crank, pivot axis and means for adjusting the angle of the axis relative to the axis. This latter angular adjustment is centered about the point of intersection (X) of the pivot axis with the longitudinal axis of the handle.
A golf practicing device is described as being a golf ball which is tethered to a casting-type fishing reel which is attached to a portable bracket which, in turn, is detachably mounted adjacent the handgrip on the shaft of a golf club, such as a chipping iron or putter. A pair of eyelets is provided on the bracket opposite and, in line, with the fishing reel to guide the line from the reel as it pays out from the reel upon stroking or hitting the ball with the club head. Thus, after putting or hitting the ball, the player only need rewind the reel to return the ball for another practice shot.
Apparatus for guiding a simulated golf swing consists of a golf club handle fixed at one end of a mechanical linkage whose other end can be fixed to a wall. The handle is fixed, so as to be rotatable about its own axis, to a crank of the linkage. The crank is connected in turn to an elongated arm pivoted at the fixing location so as to guide a swing in a basic arc. A central pivot of the crank permits the user""s wrists to flex during the swing.
A golf swing improvement device that includes two adjustable wrist encircling members, a golf club gripping member capable of fitting on any golf club, and a stretchable, flexible linear portion having two end areas. One of the end areas is attached to one of the wrist encircling members and the other end area is attached to the other wrist-encircling member. A central area of the linear portion is firmly held by the golf club gripping member so that the length of linear portion extending between each wrist encircling member and the golf club gripping member may be separately adjusted in length.
While these golf club devices designed for improving the swing of a golfer may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
The present invention discloses a golf club having a cylinder-like housing attached thereto. The housing contains a group of mercury switches mounted internally on a pair of rotatable platforms between two discs which discs are connected to a rotational dial member having a scale of degrees displayed thereon. The rotational dial member functions with a number of fixedly connected elements in concert with the mercury switches to selectively actuate a plurality of LED""s which LED""s indicate the physical relationship of the golf club with a fixed object, e.g., the ground, so that the golfer can practice his/her golf swing.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a visual indicator which can be attached to a golf club.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a visual indicator which can be easily viewed by the golfer while the club is at the top of the backswing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a visual indicator for determining if the club shaft is parallel to the ground at the top of the backswing.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a visual indicator which can be viewed at the top of the backswing indicating in what direction the club head has deviated from a predetermined angle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a visual indicator having means for selecting desired degrees of rotation of the club head which can be verified by an LED display at the top of the backswing.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a visual indicator device which mounts onto a golf club to aid the golfer in determining and developing a consistent backswing.
The canister-like housing has a rotatable drum dial member having a scale of degrees of arc marked on the exterior periphery to permit the user to pre-select the desired rotation of angle of the golf club shaft in relationship to the ground. This allows the golfer to pre-select the desired rotation of the club head while the shaft is parallel to the ground. When the golfer completes his backswing they can look over their shoulder to see if the appropriate LED""s are lit and if not, adjust their swing accordingly. Through repetitious practice they will learn when the golf club has reached the desired rotation of the club head while parallel to the ground.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.